EQAO

Chapter 41 - I Am Jessica Rombu

       
I felt so peaceful. I had never been so blissfully happy before. I was warm, and felt something soft covering me. I vaguely wondered where I was, but I didn't really care. I knew I was comfortable, happy, and safe. So why do anything to change that? I was calm, and realized that I hadn't felt this relaxed for years. Or at least, it felt like years. I thought I heard something in the distance. It might've been my name...

I opened my eyes, and saw my mother's face above me. She looked the same as always, with her soft blue eyes, her tender smile, the warmth in her cheeks, and one strand of light brown hair brushing across her face. I looked nothing like her, I got all my looks from my dad. I smiled up at her.

I was still in dazed confusion, but slowly, the memories started flooding back into my brain. All the horrors I had witnessed, and my mom telling me I wasn't human. I bolted upright. My head swam, and I was suddenly very dizzy and nauseous. I laid back down on my bed.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"Fourteen hours." my mother answered, still smiling.

Fourteen hours.

I glanced at my window. The sun was just starting to go down.

"I can't believe I fainted." I tried to chuckle, but it sounded strained.

That had been the second time that week.

"You've been through a lot." my mom said sympathetically, "It was about time your brain shut down. You were dealing with so much stress, all you needed was a little push. And I gave it to you."

I sat up again, but slowly this time.

"Oh yes," I said, almost sarcastically, "When you told me I wasn't human."

"I knew I should've explained first." my mother muttered to herself.

Then louder, she said,

"Jessica, we aren't human, we're Meta-Humans."

"Meta-Humans?"

"Yes. We're part of a race of more evolved humans. Instead of our gift being compassion, or intelligence, we can do things like control elements, or use telepathic powers. There are only a few normal humans who know about us. They are the ones who've spent their whole life trying to become one of us. Often, they use spells or what you would call 'magic' to achieve this."

I thought about the man who had attacked Ms. Gerdalli using beams of wood. He had been muttering to himself during the fight.

"Why can't we tell the rest of the humans?" I asked.

"People are afraid of what they don't understand. Humankind might wage war on us, just because we're different. Most of us just try to hide our gifts and blend in."

"Most of us? How many Meta-Humans are there?"

"A little more than one billion. About one-seventh of Earth's population."

One billion people like me?

"And other humans haven't noticed?"

"Well there have been a few incidents with some teens first discovering their power, or Meta-Humans who think they're better than normal humans, and taking advantage of their powers. But as I said, we try to blend in."

I gawked at her.

One-seventh of Earth's population, and yet we've never suspected a thing.

"So," I started, "what's your power?"

Her expression changed, and it looked sad,

"I have the power to charm people."

I smirked,